PLANEAT: A Five-Star Review

Planeat is a remarkable documentary film: simple, elegant, and stunningly informative. Filmed, edited, and written by Shelley Lee Davies and Or Shlomi, Planeat presents the vegan lifestyle as the solution to the problems of survival as the Earth’s population grows, the climate warms, and chronic illnesses — heart disease, cancer, and diabetes — debilitate increasing numbers of people around the world. The film focuses on the scientists and physicians whose life’s work has revealed the nutritional and health-promoting advantages of a plant-based diet. Tantalizing shots of vegan culinary delights are woven into the narrative along with food prep demonstrations and recipe tips by vegan chefs.

The movie points out a startling fact as it makes the case for a plant-based diet: In the past 50 years, the population of the Earth has increased from 2.5 billion to 6.5 billion people. Because animal husbandry – particularly on factory farms – produces wastes which contribute to global warming and uses more environmental resources than plant-based farming, there will come a time when Earth simply won’t have the resources in land and energy to provide for an animal-based food supply. A plant-based diet solves the problem.

Planeat emphasizes the healing powers of a plant-based diet for ourselves as well as our planet. The segments with T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a renowned cardiac surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, provide medical evidence that a plant-based diet protects our cells against cancer and reduces the risk of heart disease. Both Dr. Campbell and Dr. Esselstyn recommend a vegan diet consisting mostly of unprocessed foods: whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.